This is the mare I rescued a couple of months ago. I think she may be getting close. Last time I had a foal on my property was 10 years ago and she was a mare I bred. I have no clue when this girl was bred but she is huge in the belly, bag is full and firm but not dripping yet. She is very slow to finsh her food the last couple of days and is visibly uncomfortable. Poor girl! Any obvious signs to watch for?

Poco1220

04-24-2012 11:41 PM

Your vet should have been able to give a rough due date?Posted via Mobile Device

ladytaurean515

04-24-2012 11:43 PM

Well..join the club..I have 2 with no known due date....do you have any side pics and maybe one of her bag..I can only guess...I'd say not long...she is softening and looks like she is relaxing.......waxing and dripping is no always a for sure sign.......has a vet. checked her out they can usually give a guess.

SunnyDraco

04-24-2012 11:46 PM

This has some good insight in foaling signs. Although mares like to be tricky and completely change and not show signs or have it all happen within hours :DFoaling

dbarabians

04-24-2012 11:50 PM

If her bag is really tight and there are no visible creases she is probably very close. This is one of the ways that I determine how close they are.
Then again nothing is fool proof especially with a horse. Shalom

kartmom67

04-24-2012 11:58 PM

Yes the vet was out two weeks ago and she hadn't bagged up yet so he told me to wait for that and then she would be close. Well she's been bagged up now for about 4 days with no real change other than that and I don't want to call the vet to ask him what he meant by close. Days, weeks? lol Can she get much bigger? Wow! I'll try to get a side pic.

MyLittlePonies

04-25-2012 12:48 AM

Wow that foal has claimed her right side. She is getting loose which is really good. Mares are very tricky. Some show by the book, others don't. Does she have any change in moods or eatting habbits? Seem tired?Posted via Mobile Device

kartmom67

04-25-2012 01:14 AM

Yes she has changed her eating habits. She is very slow to finish food now where before she couldn't get it down fast enough. She acts very tired and depressed. The slower eating came on about 3 days ago. Taking her a long time to eat. I feel so bad for her, she seems so uncomfortable. And that baby is a little hellion in there! Kicks her hard enough that she nips at her side sometimes.

smrobs

04-25-2012 01:24 AM

LOL, you never can really tell. When I brought home a pregnant Belgian mare, I read everything I could find on here about what signs to look for that she was getting close. She went pretty much against everything I read. She had a full bag and relaxed tail head for nearly a month before she foaled. She never waxed up or dripped milk, she never went off her feed or looked any more uncomfortable than usual. She just suddenly had a baby one morning with no warning at all :lol:.

I look forward to watching your mare get closer and I anxiously await pictures of the adorableness that will be her baby. :D

Faceman

04-25-2012 11:53 AM

The rule of thumb - for whatever it is worth, is 6 weeks from the first signs of bagging and 2 weeks from when the bag stays up 24 hours. How many mares follow that exactly? Probably none...but that is the average anyway...